Expansion joint for concrete articles



April 3, 1934.

R. W. BRIGGS EXPANSION JOINT FOR CONCRETE ARTICLES Filed June 18, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z2 lg l v I f .'I, 1 A r i, llillllltu l April 934- R. w. BRIGGS 1,953,846

EXPANSION JOINT FOR CONCRETE ARTICLES Filed June 18; 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MM *4 W Patented Apr. 3, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EXPANSION JOINT FOR CONCRETE ARTICLES 'l, Claims.

This invention relates to expansion joints for concrete and particularly to a joint to be used in forming concrete pipe, tunnels, culverts, slabs, paving structures and in any concrete construction which may require an expansion joint.

The general object of the invention is to provide an expansion joint of a very simple structure, which will allow the concrete to contract at a cooler temperature than when it is poured, and which will hold the concrete on each side of the expansion joint in line under all circumstances.

A further object is to provide a metal expansion joint formed to define a ii-shaped groove which may be filled with asphalt and oakum or with asphalt alone, which will permit the expansion or contraction of the concrete.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional View through a concrete pipe having my improved expansion joint shown therein, the expansion joint being shown in section;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the pipe, show ing in dotted lines the expansion joint therein;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the expansion joint on an enlarged scale;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a slab partly broken away and showing my expansion joint in place therein.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section through the middle of a pipe or like element showing a modified form of joint, Fig. 5 illustrating a step of the process of making the joint;

Fig. 6 is a like view to Fig. 5 but showing the joint when it is completely finished.

Referring to Figure 3, l0 designates a metallic member preferably made of sheet metal and formed to provide the lateral portions 11 which are preferably corrugated or otherwise formed to have good engagement with the concrete, the outwardly extending opposed flanges 12 and the inwardly extending V-shaped expansion portion 13. The flanges 11 may also be formed with perforations 14 to secure binding engagement with the concrete. It will be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the corrugations 11 or the perforations 14 as other means might be used to secure this binding engagementwith the concrete.

The use of this metallic joint shown in Figure 3 is illustrated in Figure 1 wherein I have shown a concrete pipe 15. Intermediate theends of this pipe, an expansion joint is formed by disposing the member 10 in place in the pipe. This member 10 where the device is to be used in a concrete pipe is annular in plan view but it is to be understood that where this expansion joint is to. be used in a slab or other fiat structure the element 10 would be transversely straight instead of being curved or in the form of an annulus. The concrete pipe is shown as being reinforced inward of its intermediate axis by the reinforcing wires or netting 16.

This reinforcing element is shown as having longitudinal wires and transverse annular wires. Any suitable reinforcement may be used, however. These reinforcement elements lG terminate short of the middle of the pipe and. between these reinforcing elements is set the metal expansion joint 10 which is so disposed that the inner end of the V-shaped portion 13 is adjacent to the inner face of the pipe or the inner face of the slab or other building element.

Extending at intervals through the flanges 12 are .the steel dowel pins 1'? which are preferably coated with asphalt. One end of each of these dowel pins is disposed within a sleeve 18'which allows movement of the dowel pins or rods, this sleeve being embedded in the concrete pipe.

Preferably the curved anchoring elements 19 are disposed through the perforations in the portions 11 of the element 10 and extend inward past the adjacent ends of the reinforcement 16.

When the pipe or other structural element is cast, the metal expansion joint 10 is set in place, the V-shaped portion 13 being previously filled with asphalt or with a mixture of asphalt and oakum before the pipe is cast. The dowel pins 17 are also put in place as are the sleeves for the ends of the pins and the anchoring members 19 are disposed in position. Then the slab, pipe or other element is cast in place. It will be noted that the outside edges of the metal expansion joint are set inward from the outside surface of the pipe or the outside surface of any other concrete unit and thus the concrete poured around the expansion joint exteriorly thereof holds the asphalt in place until the pipe is laidin place and back-filled around the joint.

In Figures 5 and 6, I show amodified form' of joint which may be used for pipes and like structures and in this figure, 2Q designates the wall of the pipe. Embedded in this concrete pipe at the time that it is initially formed is an expansion element of the same general character as the expansion element 10 previously described, which is designatedZl. This expansion element may be cast, forged or otherwise formed and is formed to provide an approximately V-shaped reentrant portion 22 and the longitudinally extending portions 23 corresponding in'every respect to the portions 11 previously described except that these portions 23 are not shown as corrugated. These portions 23 are formed with the apertures 24 for curved anchoring members 25 corresponding to the members 19 previously described and engaging reinforcing elements embedded in the pipe. In initially forming the pipe, a downward and medially inclined recess .26 is formed on the inside face of the pipe into which recess the apex of the V-shaped portion 21 projects, as shown in Figure 5 and also in initially forming the pipe a-sectionalblock 27 is disposed in the large end of the annular chamber defined by'the portion 22, this block being made of wood or any other suitable material. These sectional blocks 27 are setin place around the joint in the manner shown in Figure 5 and then the pipe is cast. After the pipe is cast, these cores 2'7 are removed so that a recess is formed extending inward from the exterior face of the pipe and opening into the chamber defined by the portion 22. This chamber is afterwards filled with asphalt as shcwnin Figure 6 and designated 28. The recess 26 is also filled with asphalt as at 29.

This asphalt is, of course, poured after the concrete is set. While I have above referred to the recess defined by the portion 22 as being filled with asphalt, it is to be understood that it might be filled with asphalt or oakum either or both or other material of equivalent character. The object in filling the expansion joints shown in detail in Figure 3 and in Figure 6 with asphalt or oakum is so as to furnish a plastic material that will protect the metal joint against the action of ground water thereon and also to prevent the entrance of concrete between the webs of the joint during the process of manufacturing. This material also tends to seal any leaks which might otherwise occur.

-This material is such as to permit the expansion and contraction of the joint and thus allows the concrete to contract or shrink under a cooler temperature than the temperature of the concrete when it was poured in place or at any time when the concrete tends to cool and contract.

The thin layer of concrete on the outside of the joint in Figure 3 is expected to break and does break under either contraction or expansion, but it is initially left in place to strengthen the section and permit it to be handled and laid without distorting the joint. The dowels 1'7 shown in Figure 3 and which may also be used.

if desired in the structures shown in Figures 5 and 6 do not act as reinforcements, but these dowels are initially oiled and provision made for the concrete to slip along the steel dowels. The sleeve 18 permits a free movement of the end of the dowel without spalling the concrete. This sleeve preferably contains a small wad of cotton preventing the entrance of concrete but permitting the dowel to move freely through the sleeve, the sleeve being open at opposite ends.

Thus the dowel is free to move either with relation to the concrete or with relation to the sleeve. I.

The form of joint shown in Figures 5 and 6 will be used whenever the material in the joint can be of suffi'cient cross section to hold its shape and prevent distortion when the pipe is laid.

of the joint in line, in the structure shown in Figure 1, thus preventing rupture of the concrete element at the joint. The anchors 19 are disposed preferably every three inches around the joint and their purpose is to secure a further bond between the metal joint and the com crete.

While I have illustrated this expansion joint in connection with the concrete pipe, I wishit to be understood that it might be applied to any concrete structure. Thus the expansion joint could be used in street paving, in making concrete slabs as shown in Figure 4, in structural concrete work of any character and in fact wherever an expansion joint in concrete is necessary or desirable. Inasmuch as the same construction is used in a fiat slab as is used in a circular pipe, I have used the same reference numerals in Figure 4 as in the remainder of the figures. A

I claim;-

1. A concrete structure having reinforcing elements adjacent the inner face thereof, the reinforcing elements extending inward from the outer ends of the structure, but being spaced apart adjacent the middle of the structure, a metallic expansion joint embedded in the concrete and disposed between the inner ends of the nally extending portions being perforated at in tervals, anchoring members extending through the perforations of the longitudinally extending portions and around the adjacent ends of the reinforcing elements, plastic elastically yielding, water-proof material disposed within the V- shaped portion of the expansion joint, and dowels extending parallel to the length of the concrete structure and disposed through the outer margins of the V-shaped portion and embedded in the concrete. I

2. As an article of manufacture, a concrete pipe section having embedded therein intermediate its ends an annular metallic element having its ends connected, V-shaped in cross section and having a longitudinally extending integralannular flange on each side, the apex of the V-shaped element being disposed in close proximity to the inner face of the pipe section, the space within the V-shaped portion being filled with plastic yielding water-proof material, and ties extending through the flanges toward the inner portion of the pipe, and tying the outer and inner portions of the pipe together.

3. As an article of manufacture, a concrete pipe section having embedded therein approxi--' mately at its middle, an annular metallic element, V-shaped in cross section and having laterally projecting annular ,fianges on each side, the apex of the V'-shaped portion being disposed in close proximity to the inner-face of the pipe, the space within, the V-shaped portion being filled with plastic, yielding water-proof material, longitudinally extending reinforcing elements disposed within the pipe section, and ties extending approximately at right angles to the reinforcing element and operatively engaging therewith and with the flanges of the V-shaped element. J

4. As an article of manufacture, aconcrete pipe section having embedded therein intermediate its ends, an annular metallic element having its ends connected, the element being V- shaped in crosssection and having a longitudinally extending integral annular flange on each terial and the space within the V-shaped portion being filled with plastic yielding water-proof material, and ties extending through the flanges and tying the outer and inner portions of the pipe together.

5. As an article of manufacture, a concrete pipe section having embedded therein intermediate its ends an annular metallic element having its ends connected, the element being V- shaped in cross section and having a longitudinally extending integral annular flange on each side, the apex of the V-shaped element being exposed on the inner face of the pipe, the interior of the V-shaped element being filled with plastic yielding water-proof material, and ties extending through the flanges and tying the outer and inner portions of the pipe together.

6. As an article of manufacture, a' concrete pipe section having embedded therein intermediate its ends an annular metallic element hav ing its ends connected, the element being V- shaped in cross section and having a longitudinally extending integral annular flange on each side, the inner face of the pipe having 'an annular recess into which the apex of said element extends, said recess being filled with an initially plastic water-proof material, the pipe being formed with a recess extending inward from the outer face of the pipe and registering with the interior of the V-shaped portion of said element, said recess and the interior of the V- shaped element being filled with plastic yielding Water-proof material, and ties extending through the flanges of the V-shaped element and tying the outer and inner portions of the pipe together.

'7. A concrete pipe having an expansion joint embedded therein intermediate its ends, the joint comprising an annular metallic element having its ends connected, V-shaped in cross section and having a longitudinally extending integral annular flange on each side, the apex of the V- shaped element beingdisposed in close proximity to the inner face of the pipe section, the inner face of the pipe having an annular recess into which the apex of the V-shaped, element extends, said recess being filled with an initially plastic water-proof material, the outer face of the pipe being formed with an annular recess extending inward and opening into the interior of the V- shaped portion of the element, said last named recess and the interior of the V-shaped element being filled with plastic yielding water-proof 

